Preserving the Season – Summer might feel endless in the thick of July, but any homesteader knows the growing season is fleeting. Preserving the harvest ensures the flavors of summer can brighten your pantry long after the garden fades. Whether you’re new to food preservation or looking for fresh ideas, these simple canning and freezing recipes are the perfect way to stock your shelves with sunshine.
Preserving the Season – Why Preserve?
- Reduce waste – Use every last tomato, berry, and cucumber before it spoils.
- Save money – Store-bought sauces and jams can’t beat homemade taste—or price.
- Eat seasonally, year-round – Canned tomatoes in February? Yes, please.
- Create homemade gifts – Nothing says love like a jar of jam or pickled veggies.
Preserving the Season – Canning 101: What You’ll Need
- Canning jars with lids and bands (always check for cracks and rust)
- Water bath canner (for high-acid foods like jams, pickles, tomatoes)
- Tongs, funnel, ladle, and a bubble remover or spatula
- Clean kitchen towels and labels
Canning is a wonderful and delicate process. We will be starting another series very soon on Preserving the Bounty, complete with details and how-to’s for all manner of preserving. Be sure to subscribe and never miss any of this terrific content!
Preserving the Season – Simple Canning Recipes to Try
1. Farmhouse Strawberry Jam
- 4 cups mashed fresh strawberries
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 box powdered pectin
- 5 cups sugar
Boil fruit, lemon, and pectin. Add sugar, boil hard 1 min. Fill hot jars, process in water bath for 10 minutes.
2. Classic Dilly Beans
- 2 lbs fresh green beans
- Garlic cloves, dill heads, red pepper flakes
- Vinegar, water, and salt brine
Pack beans vertically in jars, add seasonings, fill with brine, and process in a water bath.
3. Rustic Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Roast garden tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs
- Blend and simmer into a sauce
- Can in pint jars using acidified recipe guidelines
Great for pasta, pizza, or soups all year long.
Preserving the Season – Freezing Tips & Tricks
- Use freezer-safe containers or bags. Remove as much air as possible.
- Label with contents and date—trust us, you’ll forget what’s in that bag by October.
- Blanch vegetables before freezing to preserve color and texture.
Preserving the Season – Top Things to Freeze from the Summer Garden
- Sweet corn – Cut off cobs and freeze in bags. No need to cook first!
- Berries – Freeze on a sheet pan first, then bag to avoid clumping.
- Bell peppers – Slice and freeze raw for stir-fries, soups, or fajitas.
- Herbs – Chop and freeze in olive oil in ice cube trays for easy seasoning.
- Zucchini – Shred and freeze for later use in breads, muffins, or casseroles.
Farm Life Bonus:
Involve the whole family on “preserving day.” Kids can snap beans, label jars, or help fill bags. It turns a big job into a sweet memory—and teaches them the value of good food.
A Life on the Farm is beginning a series of farm fresh summer cooking ideas! We just completed a series of informational and instructional posts concerning various aspects of much needed cooking skills. Check them out and be sure to subscribe and come back for that and more!
MORE WAYS TO CONNECT
We also, as a homesteading family, have a variety of blogs that might interest you. A Life on the Farm focuses on the more personal side of the homesteading life. We discuss subjects like family, parenting, relationships, homeschooling, cooking, canning and so much more.
Two Oaks Farm Talk concerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials!
Farm Raised Family is basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. The Farm Raised Family blog focuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families.
You can also have a more in depth look at all that we do by visiting our Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a thing!
Farm Life and Freedom is the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun! You could also check in with our Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel.
Two Oaks Farmstead is the farm store… the one that holds the umbrella! Check us all out and join us, not only on our blogs and Farm Life and Freedom podcast but come join the fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… wherever you get social!
